Padres acquire Ben Gamel from the Rays
Credit: AP Photo
Trade season is officially upon us.
A.J. Preller and the Padres are surely on the lookout for improvements to the team. Even though the Padres are currently in fourth place in their own division, they have not given up.
On Thursday, the San Diego Padres made a minor move as the team acquired Ben Gamel from the Tampa Rays.
Gamel is a left-handed hitting outfielder who was playing at the Triple-A level for the Rays. The 31-year-old last played in the majors in 2022 for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Gamel spent two years in Pittsburgh, where he produced a .720 OPS in 226 games and almost 800 at-bats.
The Padres made this love to strengthen the minor league system, though Taylor Kohlwey is in Triple-A and a similar hitter to Gamel. It is strange that the 28-year-old with a career .786 OPS in 2,200 at-bats has not been given a chance at the major league level by the Padres. The addition of Gamel will indeed affect Kohlwey.
The hope is that Gamel will provide depth for the Padres, who DFA’d Nelson Cruz last week. The Padres need offensive help, though it is not a sure thing Gamel will produce anything at the major league level for the Padres. The veteran outfielder owns a career .253/.333/.385 batting line in seven years and 1,950 at-bats with the Yankees, Mariners, Brewers, Guardians, and Pirates.
Nothing has been reported on what the Padres will send to Tampa, though it will likely be cash or a low minor leaguers. The Padres will not pay much for the services of this outfielder.
Preller and the Padres are inching the way back to relevance this season.
The Friars will need a winning streak to get back into the playoff picture. With the roster built the way it is, this is not inconceivable. It may be difficult, but stranger things have happened in the history of major league baseball.
Ben Gamel is not a flashy pickup, but it is a sign that the Padres have not thrown in the towel on the 2023 season.
Stay tuned; there will surely be more trades in the coming weeks.
James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.